Grinding/rattle sound

apmkk · #1 09-01-2006, 01:08 PM

I've had my SVX (92) for just over a year now. It seems to be making a grinding/rattle sound whenever I'm in first gear, only when I push the gas pedal and am going pretty slowly. It disappears after I reach 5-10 mph or so. I think the sound is coming from the rear, but I'm not totally sure.

Any ideas?

svxistentialist · #2 09-01-2006, 02:39 PM

Most of us have had problems with a rattle or vibration in the exhaust, which is heard usually at low speed.

As if for badness, just as you are pulling into a nice hotel or somewhere with your nice posh looking car, there is this awful rattle from underneath.

This particular rattle I am describing is a sympathetic vibration. Sometimes it is caused by loose heat reflector plates between the exhaust and the chassis tunnel. Most of the time it is caused by loose baffle plates inside the resonator.

The resonator is a wide area in the exhaust after the cats. It looks like a cat, but isn't. Most people just replace it with straight pipe, and the rattle is gone. Downside is the exhaust note sounds harder and flatter. Some people like that, I don't.

At least one person has cut open the resonator, tack welded or soldered the loose plates, then rewelded the thing back together. This apparently fixed the rattle.

Yours might be caused by something different, this is one suggestion.

Joe

apmkk · #3 09-02-2006, 08:36 AM

Ok. At least that gives me an idea of what's causing the problem. I infer from you that it isn't an urgent replacement or anything, is that correct?

Unfortuantely, I'm not too technical with cars and wouldn't be able to fix anything myself.

svxistentialist · #4 09-02-2006, 09:59 AM

If it happens at very low revs just as the car is accelerating past a particular rev point,it's most likely that is what it is.

No, it's not urgent if resonance is the cause, more a nuisance and an annoyance.

Joe